Sensitive Year 2 - is The Witches too scary?

[LemonFritz]

My DS in year 2 has chosen The Witches for his reading book. He is a sensitive person, doesn’t typically cope with peril well. Not sure whether I should let him start it as he chose it? If I ask school/ him to change it would that be good parenting or over protective?

Any recommendations for books aimed at older children but with less peril/ unkindness that I can stock at home?

[stclair]

My daughter found The Witches scary at that age. She loved the Atticus Claw series though ..... kind of adventure and mystery

[FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones]

My son read the witches in Y2 (and he's a young Y2) and wasn't phased. I read it at the same age and was terrified for quite a while afterwards. Pretty much all the other Roald Dahl Books are less scary.

[2shepherds]

I have told my quite sensitive 6 year old that he can not read The Witches yet. I think some children would keep the ideas and images in their heads and think about them a lot.

There are many good quality children's books. I thought that it was not worth the risk of him being upset when he could just read something else.

[Trewser]

The witches is terrifying.

[Karwomannghia]

I would say too scary.
My dc liked mammoth academy books. Or if he likes witch stories the worst witch series I think is less scary.

[bookmum08]

Has he read George's Marvelous Medicine and The Twits yet? They are good starters to get the hang of Roald Dahl's humour.

[Yokohamajojo]

My DS started it at that age but thought it too scary and stopped reading it. Don't think he ever read it again and he's now 13

[Worldshohohokayestmum]

I found it too scary when I read it at that age. I can still vividly remember refusing to have the lights off at night afterwards and lying in bed too scared to sleep and panicking because I could hear my dad go to bed and I was on my own

[FredFlinstoneMadeOfBones]

There are lots of other classics which are less scary Charlotte's Webb, Stig of the Dump, the borrowers.

[kaffkooks]

I would let him read it and tell him he can stop if he doesn't like it. Also avoid reading it too close to bed time to avoid nightmares. And whatever you do keep him away from the film of the Witches; I still get nightmares about the film. From a now grown up "sensitive child" who still skips bits in books and films if they are too perilous!

[Minta85]

Another yes to keeping him away from the film! Scared me hugely as a child and think it still would now.

[etluxperpetua]

My 9 year old is still too scared to read it (was scarred for life by the audio book!). How about some of the old classics, like Faraway Tree and My Naughty Little Sister?

[Kuponut]

My now-year 3 went through a huge Roald Dahl phase in year 2 and read most of them but school and us kept The Witches out of the way at that point - I don't think she'd even cope well with it now a year later.

[Mumdiva99]

Reading it is ok as he can stop if he doesn't like it. But stay away from the movie - terrifying!

[Ninjakittysmellz]

I think The Twits is a good entry level book for peril etc to see how he would gauge it, but honestly, it’s bloody terrifying! My ds is 7 and quite taken with ‘scary’ stuff (loved Harry Potter and the dementors as they made his tummy feel funny!” But even he stays away from the Witches.